


My Flame Burns Only For You

by tehfanglyfish



Series: Love Holiday [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Deviates From Canon, First Kiss, Fluff, Good Morgana (Merlin), M/M, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Pining Arthur, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tiny Hint of Gwen/Leon, Tiny Hint of Perwaine, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22671418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: A mysterious old woman arrives in the Camelot marketplace, selling gaudy tokens to celebrate a love holiday. Arthur thinks her wares might be just what he needs to finally tell Merlin how he feels.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Love Holiday [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633129
Comments: 70
Kudos: 595





	My Flame Burns Only For You

**Author's Note:**

> Please accept this fic as a token of my love for the Merlin fandom.
> 
> Standard disclaimer where I deny ownership of the characters and the franchise. Y'all if it was mine and making money, I would try to bribe the actors to come back and give us season 6. So yeah... no profits for me. Obviously.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,” an ancient Greek philosopher once said.

Arthur Pendragon couldn’t remember exactly which one it had been – he’d spent his adolescence more preoccupied with swinging a sword than his tutor’s history lessons – but somehow the quote had stuck with him over the years.

If it was true, then Arthur figured he must be the wisest man in all the five kingdoms. After taking the throne he quickly realized that there was much he didn’t know, even about his own people. Unlike his father, Arthur tried to remedy his ignorance, occasionally wandering the streets of Camelot to observe and learn.

And learn, he did. Take today. It had been exceptionally educational.

First, there had been the encounter with the mysterious old woman in the marketplace, the one running the stall stocked with garish red, pink, and purple merchandise. No one knew where she came from and many felt that the February air was too cold for her, but she wouldn’t be deterred from selling her wares. Or from talking at length to anyone who would stop to listen.

“You see, young man” she said to Arthur, completely oblivious to his identity, “in other realms tomorrow, the midpoint of February, is a holiday dedicated to love.”

“And what do people do to observe this holiday?”

It became immediately clear that this was the right question to ask from a strictly educational perspective, but perhaps the wrong one from a survival standpoint. Arthur was pretty sure his toes had frozen off when she finished her lecture.

The customs were complex. Sweets were distributed, flowers were delivered, and notes expressing affection were exchanged. While friends and relatives could participate, the day was largely devoted to lovers – whether they were married, courting, or simply getting to know one another.

“In fact,” the woman explained, “the day often gives courage to those pining in secret to finally confess their feelings.”

Arthur found that point particularly intriguing, as he had been harboring affection for a certain special someone for years now. A servant someone – entirely too skinny with messy hair and ridiculous ears. His eyes were the most perfect shade of blue and his lips were obscenely kissable. And there was something about his fingers that made Arthur weak.

Not that Arthur was hung up on physical attributes alone. The man was kind and sweet, foolishly brave and fiercely loyal. What Arthur had believed to be a passing infatuation had grown with time into a friendship that had blossomed into deep romantic affection.

“And now not a day that passes where I don’t love Merlin more, but I don’t know how to tell him.”

Oh gods. Had he said all of that out loud? Arthur glanced around but no one appeared to have been listening except the old woman.

“You poor dear,” she said, patting his hand. “You came to me just in time. I think have some things that can help.”

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

It required stealthy maneuvering on Arthur’s part, but eventually he made his way back inside the castle without anyone taking notice of his arrival or the numerous parcels he was carrying. Fortunately, he, or rather Morgana, had discovered all the secret passages in the castle when they were teenagers.

He would need a hiding spot for everything he’d purchased. His chambers were too risky. Merlin’s dedication to cleanliness was mediocre at best, but there were times when he did haphazardly neaten up. Arthur settled on an unused storeroom in a lower level of the castle. He could sneak down before dawn the next morning to retrieve his items for deployment.

Supplies securely locked away, Arthur was making his way back to his chambers when he had his second educational experience of the day.

Apart from occasional guards on patrol, this part of the castle didn’t get much traffic, especially in the cold months of winter. So when he heard the sound of a familiar voice complaining loudly from behind one of the closed doors, Arthur had to stop and listen.

“Do this, Merlin. Do that, Merlin. Wash my socks. Polish my armor. Write my speech. Audit the tax rosters. Develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that grain reserves are adequately distributed through the rest of the winter. Muck out the stables. Fetch my dinner…”

Arthur let his hand hover over the doorknob. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to walk in on Merlin. It might be better to wait until after tomorrow’s chore list had been revised.

Still, Arthur wanted to see him. They’d been apart for most of the day and Arthur missed him.

Careful not to make a sound, Arthur crouched down to squint through the keyhole.

When presented with new and unexpected information, the human mind may need a moment to process what it has encountered. Observing the sight before him, Arthur’s brain started with the details that were easiest to sort before working its way to the more complicated ones.

First, Merlin’s beauty grew with age. Just this morning, Arthur had decided he’d never seen anyone more breathtaking. But now, half-a-day later, Merlin had become more gorgeous than at breakfast.

Second, Merlin wasn’t wearing his neckerchief and his sleeves were rolled up. Arthur licked his lips and briefly pondered the ethics of imposing a dress code for when Merlin tended to him in his chambers.

Third, Merlin had taken off his boots. Oh gods. There was no justifiable way to mandate that Merlin wander around the king’s chambers barefoot. Was there? Maybe something about keeping the floors clean or…

Arthur’s mind paused to shut down that train of thought and continue processing the data it had been presented with.

Merlin’s state of undress likely had something to do with the fire blazing in the hearth. On such a cold winter’s day it looked inviting. Except something was off. Ah. That would be the lack of firewood. The flames were burning on their own without kindling.

Briefly, Arthur’s eyes wandered back to Merlin’s exposed collarbone. It begged to be caressed and kissed and… Some rational part of his mind regained control and pulled his eyes away, forcing them to focus on the most complicated part of the scene laid out before him.

The royal armor was being polished, the royal socks were being washed, and the royal tax records were being audited. But – and this was the bit that gave Arthur’s brain pause – Merlin wasn’t actually doing the work himself. The occasional gestures with his hands (gods above those fingers!) and the periodic golden glow in his eyes (such a stunning contrast to the usual blue) were a clear giveaway that Merlin was using magic.

“Fold the laundry. Save Arthur’s life!”

The sound of Merlin’s voice cut through Arthur’s mental fog.

“Fight griffins. Stop assassins and bandits. It’s ok that you’ve been punched and poisoned and pelted with fruit. Just make sure you keep hiding who you really are. And don’t expect any thanks, because you’re not even going to get a day off.”

So not only did Merlin cheat at his chores with magic, but apparently he’d been using it to protect Arthur from immense danger. And he might be suffering from a bit of burnout. The day was proving to be far more educational than Arthur was prepared for.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

He wandered back to his chambers in a daze. It was a lot to take in. The magic, the heroics, Merlin’s neck and how for once it was uncovered and… Arthur forced himself to focus.

As the king, he was probably supposed to do something. After all, sorcery was very much illegal in Camelot, though he hadn’t enforced Uther’s ban in ages. In fact, the last time anyone had been prosecuted for a magical crime was two years ago when Old Man Wilkins had hexed his neighbor into a goat.

The two had been brought before the king to seek justice, the enchanted victim led in on a tether. Arthur had to commend Sir Leon for his remarkable patience when the plaintiff began to nibble on the hem of his cloak.

Wilkins had trembled before the court, his eyes fixed on the ground as he explained in stammering sentences that he hadn’t meant to harm the man, he was simply tired of his younger neighbor calling him an old goat for wanting peace and quiet at dusk.

“You are hereby sentenced to change him back. You’ll also need to write out a formal apology, which you will read aloud from the balcony overlooking the castle courtyard. And in one week you will present me with a plan for how to better manage your anger in the future. We can’t enchant people simply because they annoy us. Also, Merlin, start drafting a noise ordinance.”

No, Arthur hadn’t followed the law to the letter, but it would have been cruel to execute the man. No lasting damage had been done to the neighbor. In fact, after being restored to his human form, he reported that the experience had left him feeling more connected to nature and finally able to consume meals at the Rising Sun without indigestion.

All around a win, Arthur decided.

Of course, Arthur had done nothing to change the laws. As with so many legacies of his father’s reign, the statutes on sorcery were an absolute mess, one Arthur didn’t feel all that capable of sorting. And so, looking to Merlin’s housekeeping as a source of inspiration, Arthur did with the laws what one often does with an unpleasant mess – he shoved into a metaphorical closet to be dealt with later.

He supposed that this recent discovery meant that later would be arriving sooner than he had hoped. Merlin should be celebrated rather than condemned. How to go about it, Arthur wasn’t sure, but it could keep for the time being. There were other matters on his mind. And no, not Merlin’s fingers. Well, maybe a little bit.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“What’s got you brooding?”

Merlin’s question broke the silence that had fallen over their shared dinner.

“Hmm?”

“You’ve hardly said two words to me and you keep pushing your food around. Go on. Tell me about it.”

“About what?” Arthur asked.

“Whatever happened to you today while I was washing your socks.”

Arthur tried his best not to stare at Merlin’s cheekbones. There was something about the way that the candlelight accentuated his face… It was almost magical.

Merlin gave him a pointed stare and Arthur fumbled for something to say.

“I met the old woman in the marketplace. The one selling tokens for lovers.”

“Oh, did she trap you? Leon got caught yesterday. I think he spent half his month’s wages on trinkets for Gwen.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“I think he should have saved his money. All he really needs to do is stop tripping over his words when she’s around.”

“True.”

A terrifying thought occurred to Arthur.

“Have you visited her stall?”

“A couple of times.”

Arthur’s heart stopped.

“She needed help moving her crates,” Merlin continued, “and it seemed wrong to let her struggle with them. Are you ok? You look a little peaky.”

Blood flow resumed to all of Arthur’s vital organs.

“Did you buy anything from her?” Arthur hoped his voice didn’t betray the panic he felt.

“No,” Merlin said, dropping his gaze to focus on his peas. “You know I’m not seeing anyone.”

“Well,” Arthur replied, “the old woman told me that tomorrow is a day for confessing one’s feelings. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

“I seriously doubt that,” Merlin said with a hollow laugh. “No one notices me. But you’re the king. I imagine you’ll be showered with gifts tomorrow. Did you see the stuffed dragons she was selling?”

“She was all out,” Arthur replied.

It wasn’t entirely a lie. She _had_ been out of stock when he left, having acquired the last six. He had especially admired the one with orange fabric coming out of its mouth and the words “My Flame Burns Only For You” embroidered across its chest.

“You’d say they were hideous,” Merlin continued, “but I thought they were cute. Too bad I didn’t buy one. And she had these roses made from felt… they were so tacky but I really wanted one. Maybe she’ll be back next year.”

It took all of Arthur’s self-control not to grin like a fool. He had a full dozen of the gaudy cloth flowers waiting to be deployed. Arthur might not have figured out what to do about the magic, but Merlin had just given him the encouragement he needed to go forward with what he’d already planned for the next day.

“I was thinking,” Arthur began.

“Please don’t hurt yourself.”

“Shut up. I was thinking that you look tired. I’ve loaded you down with too much this week. Why don’t you take tomorrow off?”

Merlin rose from his chair and walked to Arthur’s side.

“Are you sure you feel alright?” he asked, placing a hand against Arthur’s forehead.

“So long as you’re touching me, I feel amazing,” Arthur didn’t say.

“Completely fine. I just want you to know that I appreciate all you do for me. Honestly, I wouldn’t last a day without you. Except for tomorrow. Seriously. You’ve earned a day off. Enjoy it.”

It took another half-hour of reassurances that Arthur was in perfect health and fully aware of what he was saying about the next day before Merlin would consent to leave.

As he made to go, Merlin gave Arthur a soft, shy smile.

“Thank you,” he said, before closing the door behind him.

Arthur waited a few minutes to make sure Merlin wasn’t coming back, then allowed himself a moment to dance around his chambers smiling like the besotted fool that he was.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Though Merlin often proclaimed that the king was useless in rousing himself, decades of military training had left Arthur fully capable of waking up after minimal sleep. He simply preferred that Merlin wrangle him out of bed each morning.

Three hours after his head hit the pillow, the king was back on his feet, ready to implement his plan. He hurried into his clothes, then grabbed a quill, an inkwell, and, as inspiration hit, a spare parchment, before creeping out of his chambers.

All around it was a risky endeavor. Arthur had no desire to explain why he was out of bed or what he was up to. As the king, he could command anyone he encountered to mind their own business, but doing so would only fuel the castle rumor mill. Avoiding detection was the best course of action.

The early hour gave Arthur some cover, since most of the courtiers and serving staff hadn’t yet risen. He carefully snuck past the guards on duty, using many of the same secret passageways he’d traveled the previous day. Relieved to find that everything was where he’d left it in the storeroom, he sorted his items.

He started with a parchment the old woman had sold him, cut into the shape of heart with pink and purple trimmings.

“Write a note to your beloved on the back,” she’d instructed him. “Use it to confess what you feel for him.”

Laying out one’s heart in a sleep-deprived stupor was easier said than done. Apart from his general hesitancy on emotional matters, Arthur hadn’t brought a candle or torch for fear of attracting attention, so he had to rely on moonlight to see to write. It was also possible that the inkwell had leaked in his breeches pocket.

Arthur knew his words were inadequate but wrote them out anyway.

He moved on to the spare parchment he’d brought from his chambers. Normally he had Merlin draft official documents, but that wasn’t an option under present circumstances. He did his best not to smudge his lettering, then carefully folded it, tucking it between the decorations on the heart-shaped parchment.

Compositions completed, he gathered the assorted tokens, leaving the storeroom for his next destination. Thus far the need to hurry had kept his nerves at bay. It was only when he stood outside of Gaius’s infirmary that he began to worry.

Could he make it past Gaius and into Merlin’s room without waking either of them? If he got caught how would he explain his presence? What if his message made Merlin uncomfortable? How would he handle rejection? Should he just leave? Abdicate the throne? Become a hermit and forsake all human contact? Pay a sorcerer to transform him into a toad and…

The sound of footsteps approaching from down the corridor pulled Arthur out of his panic. Moving with speed and stealth, he unlocked the door and crept into the room.

A loud snore assured him that Gaius was still deep asleep. Carefully tiptoeing past the old man, Arthur eased the door open to Merlin’s room. It was an absolute disaster – books and clothes strewn about everywhere. At least Merlin was consistent in his disregard for housekeeping. Arthur tried not to breathe as he cleared a space on the bedside table and arranged the assortment of gifts.

Pale moonlight illuminated the display he’d set up. Some of the cloth roses had gotten crushed and the icing message on the heart-shaped sweet bun was a little smudged, but overall it looked presentable, especially with his favorite stuffed dragon sitting in the center.

He let his eyes drift to Merlin. He looked so peaceful buried under blankets. His hair was a mess, more so than usual. Arthur resisted the urge to reach out to ruffle it.

“Arthur…”

Arthur froze.

“Only for you,” Merlin mumbled in his sleep.

As the wave of terror passed, Arthur wondered what was only for him. He wanted to stick around to find out but knew he’d pushed his luck as far as it would take him. All he could do now was retreat to his chambers and wait.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Arthur sat up in bed, the sound of his door being flung open pulling him from his sleep. Damn it, he’d meant to stay awake. Only one person would barge in the king’s chambers like that. Did that mean…

“Can’t… believe… someone left… all of this… in my room,” Merlin panted.

That was not a good sign.

“All of what?” Feigning ignorance seemed the best approach at present.

“This. It’s like someone bought the old woman’s entire stall.”

That was an exaggeration if Arthur had ever heard one. He’d left behind a pair of smallclothes so tiny that they barely covered anything.

“And then, instead of delivering your gifts to your door, whoever it was left them piled up in my room. So even on my day off, I have to haul your…”

“My gifts?”

“Obviously your gifts. Who else would all of this be for? I mean, it’s clear from the sheer volume of this stuff that someone is after the heart of the king.”

There was something in Merlin’s tone that Arthur couldn’t quite define – a little anger, a good helping of annoyance, and… was that sadness?

“Why would someone leave gifts for me in your room?”

“How should I know?” Merlin said as he arranged the tokens on Arthur’s dining table. “Maybe they were too lazy to climb the stairs, maybe they’re scared to tell you how they feel, maybe…”

Arthur watched as Merlin’s hand (oh those fingers) gave the stuffed dragon a gentle pat.

“Anyway, now that I’m here, I’ll go fetch your breakfast and…”

“But it’s your day off.”

“Yes, well, it doesn’t seem like I’m going to get one. I might as well tend to your laundry and your…”

“No. Really. Take the day. It’s still early and you can…”

Arthur paused, trying to think of what Merlin got up to for fun when they weren’t together. It was difficult because usually only obligations kept them apart.

“Oh,” Merlin said dejectedly. “You need me to leave so you can meet up with your admirer.”

They’d known each other for over a decade. Never in all that time had Arthur heard Merlin sound so deflated.

“No, that’s not what I…”

“It’s why you gave me the day off. I’ll just…”

Things were not going according to plan. The whole situation was escalating out of control and Arthur wasn’t entirely sure of what to do.

“Did you happen to read the parchments?”

“Of course not.”

“But you read all of my letters.”

“When it’s government business… these are personal.”

“I don’t care. Do it anyway.”

“Can’t you read them yourself?” There was a new strain creeping into Merlin’s voice. “You said it was my day off and I’d rather not…”

“Read the parchments.”

Merlin scowled at him as he walked back to the table.

“Fine. Because you’re too lazy to read your own love letters.”

Arthur couldn’t help but stare at Merlin’s fingers as he reached for the giant heart-shaped parchment. He’d meant to marvel in their beauty but was instead struck by the fact that they were shaking.

“To the one who has enchanted my heart,” Merlin began. “Who came up with that? What a cheesy line.”

Arthur tried not to grimace.

“I know your secret,” Merlin continued, “so it’s only fair that you should know mine…”

He glanced at Arthur.

“Are you alright? Because you keep fidgeting.”

“Just nervous.” It was such a massive understatement that it bordered on a lie. Arthur was terrified and the thought of hearing his own words to Merlin read aloud was proving too much to bear. “Maybe you should read the rest silently and then you can tell me…”

Merlin sighed and shook his head.

“You’re absolutely impossible,” he said before focusing again on the words in front of him.

Arthur sat stone still on the bed as he waited, trying to memorize Merlin’s features, preparing himself for the possibility that after finishing his letter, Merlin might never want to see him again.

He watched as Merlin’s expression changed, shifting from the initial scowl of annoyance, to something unreadable. As his eyes made their way lower down the page, the color drained from his cheeks. That meant he’d made it to the part about Arthur’s discovery the day before. They flushed pink again as he read over the closing words. Arthur knew that had been the right way to end it.

“Do you mean it?” Merlin asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the parchment.

“Yes,” Arthur choked out, his voice almost failing him.

“Even the bits about my…?”

“Fingers? Yes, especially those bits.”

Merlin’s ears turned bright red and he smiled. That was promising.

“That wasn’t what I meant. What about…”

“You should read the other parchment.”

Carefully Merlin unfolded it. He had only made it through half of Arthur’s words when he sat down.

“You’ve drafted a repeal…”

“You’ll need to revise it. I don’t know half of what I’m talking about and the ink smudges need to be cleaned up but…”

“Thank you,” Merlin whispered.

“And I want you to know that I’m going to enact it regardless of what you decide about the other matter. I would never tie the two together.”

He trailed off. The lack of sleep was doing nothing to ease the doubt again encroaching.

Merlin kept staring at the words in front of him, his face unreadable.

“Have you had breakfast?” he finally asked.

“No. I was trying to get to your room before you woke up and then I fell asleep when I got back to my chambers.”

“You should eat.”

Merlin rose from the table, carrying the heart-shaped sweet bun with him.

“That’s yours.”

“And I’m giving it to you.”

“But…”

“I didn’t get you anything because I didn’t think you… And besides, there’s something you need to see.”

Arthur took the pastry. His efforts at carrying it through the castle had made a bit of a mess and it was less than appetizing. But the message written in icing was still legible.

“Kiss me,” he said, reading the words.

“Gladly,” said Merlin, pressing his lips to Arthur’s.

The morning became afternoon, then faded into evening. Apart from a short break to order a guard to fetch food, the paired stayed curled up in bed until the next morning. Though he had known Merlin for years, Arthur quickly discovered that there was still much to learn.

He finally got to test several theories about Merlin’s neck and collarbone, learning that he had severely underestimated their kissability. While on the subject of kissing, Merlin gave a very in-depth demonstration of several techniques Arthur was unfamiliar with, including a very strategic use of the tongue. Arthur blushed as he made inquiries regarding Merlin’s fingers, but what he learned was well worth the initial embarrassment.

Apart from the kisses and embraces, other discoveries were made. Merlin revealed the extent to which he’d protected Arthur over the years, while Arthur laid bare his heart. Confessions slipped out and promises were made before they slipped off to sleep, wrapped up in each other’s arms.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Sunlight pouring in the windows roused Arthur from his dreams.

“Too early,” Merlin mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.

Arthur had begun trailing kisses down Merlin’s exposed neck when a thought occurred to him.

“The old woman – I never learned where she came from or even her name. I wonder who she is.”

Merlin let out a muffled sigh and rolled over.

“I don’t know. It was strange – I couldn’t remember ever seeing her before, but it felt like I knew her. She’s been staying at the Rising Sun. I was going to visit her yesterday but then…”

He blushed and Arthur had to look away to avoid kissing him senseless.

“I wonder if… Come on.”

The bar at the Rising Sun was largely deserted but the kitchen was in full operation, preparing breakfast for those who rented the rooms on the upper level.

“It’s a disaster in here,” Arthur said as he led Merlin up the stairs.

“There was a party last night to celebrate the love holiday.”

“Do you know which room she was staying in?”

“Um… This one. I think.”

Arthur knocked on the door.

“Breakfast!” a familiar voice cried as the door swung open.

Despite his commitment to education, there were some things Arthur didn’t need to know. For instance, that Gwaine had been the one to acquire the very small smallclothes the old woman had been selling. The ones dyed pink with the message “It Isn’t Going To Spank Itself” stitched into the fabric in purple thread.

“I… um… training’s cancelled” Arthur said, dragging Merlin down the hall.

“Is the food here?” Percival’s voice called from the room as Gwaine shut the door.

“Sorry. It’s this one.”

“You’re certain?” Arthur asked as they stood in front of the next door.

“Yes,” Merlin said when Arthur began to knock. “Maybe.”

“Arthur! I… Merlin… we didn’t expect…”

Guinevere greeted them clad in a man’s tunic that came down just above her knees. Arthur was pretty sure he’d seen it before on…

“Leon,” Arthur said as another familiar face appeared. “Guinevere. I was looking for… um… no training… as you were.”

Though he was happy for his friends, that was also far more information than Arthur needed.

“Your turn to knock,” he said, shoving Merlin toward the next door while secretly delighting in the feel of firm shoulders under his palms.

“Go away,” a scratchy voice called through the door. “I’m not presentable for guests.”

“Please,” Arthur replied. “I wanted to thank you before you left. Without you, I don’t know that I would ever have been brave enough to… Anyway, there’s no need to dress up. We’ve already seen it all.”

The door opened the tiniest of cracks. The eyes that met his were far younger than those of the old woman running the stall. There was something very familiar about them.

“Morgana?”

“Hello brother. I didn’t mean for you to find me and I swear I’ll be out of Camelot before sunset. I know Uther’s banishment still stands but I missed everyone and…”

Arthur shoved the door open and pulled her into a hug.

“Apparently being a clotpole is a family trait. Because you’re the biggest one I’ve ever met,” he said into her hair. “You could have come back years ago. We went looking for you after he died but…”

“The Druids kept me hidden. We didn’t know how you’d react and… Anyway, when I learned about the love holiday, I thought it was a good excuse to come back to see how everyone was doing, so I conjured all those tokens and set up a stall. I used an aging spell but…”

“They’re exhausting to hold. And changing back is less than pleasant,” Merlin’s voice cut in. “I hate aging spells.”

“You finally told him,” Morgana whispered.

“Actually,” Arthur said, “He didn’t. I accidentally discovered his secret yesterday when I was hiding all the things you sold me. They worked, by the way.”

“Clotpole really is a family trait,” Merlin muttered. “You didn’t need to buy me all of those things. Although I did like them.”

When Merlin blushed like that, it really was almost too much for Arthur to bear. Still, etiquette dictated that one shouldn’t snog their beloved during an impromptu family reunion. He squeezed Merlin’s hand and turned to Morgana.

“Let’s you out of here and back to the castle where I can vouch for the cleanliness of the sheets.”

“I don’t know…”

“I’m not saying you have to stay,” Arthur said. “Just visit.”

“At least have breakfast with us,” Merlin added. “We missed you too.”

“Alright. And maybe I will stay. At least until tomorrow. I couldn’t sleep last night with all the noise from the rooms down the hall. I wonder what everyone got up to.”

“Don’t,” Arthur said. “It’s best not to know. Come on.”

And, with Morgana taking his arm and Merlin clasping his hand, Arthur led his family back to the castle.

Arthur still had much to learn about love in all its many forms, but that was fine. He had the very best teachers to help him.


End file.
